Search underway for missing diver near Punalu’u Beach Park

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard and Hawaii County Fire Department are searching for a missing free diver near Punalu’u, Hawai’i, Thursday.

The missing diver is identified as 57-year-old Robert Furtado of Hawai’i. He was last seen wearing a camouflage boardshorts.

Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center received notification at 8:15 a.m., from the Hawaii County Fire Department reporting a missing male free diver.

HCFD divers divers located the man’s spear and dive buoy approximately 50 to 100 yards offshore of Punalu’u.

Searching are the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Galveston Island, homeported in Honolulu, an HC-130 Hercules aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point and a helicopter aircrew, jet-ski, boatcrew, a shore party from HCFD.